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Stack, Wreck, and Rebuild: Exciting Books to Get Little Ones Building

by Lindsay Barrett

Photo credit: kate_sept2004, E+/Getty Images

Besides books, building toys are my top choice to give as gifts and to enjoy with my kids at home. Their appeal is wide-ranging. Babies studiously manipulate and mouth them, then steadfastly move them from one container to another. To toddlers, nothing is more hilarious than knocking down a teetering tower — over and over and over! Older kids love to create, whether with interlocking bricks, magnetic blocks, traditional wooden unit blocks, or materials salvaged from the recycling bin.

The benefits of construction play for children are numerous, from encouraging creativity and motor development to providing opportunities for flexing math and problem-solving skills. Building play can even influence a child’s career choice; Frank Lloyd Wright credits a set of wooden blocks, a gift from his mother, with inspiring his architectural designs. While simply sitting down on the floor together with a pile of blocks will usually get your little one interested in construction play, books about building can spark fresh ideas and interests. These books will encourage children to imagine, stack, wreck, and, rebuild again and again:

Blocks that are also books are definitely a double win. This cute set of four miniature board books invites babies to browse the high-contrast pages, build towers, and experiment with loading and unloading them from the box. The heavy-duty cardboard will hold up against plenty of drool, too.(Ages 0 – 1)

Catchy and colorful, this cheerful board book is a toddler favorite. Various construction vehicles dig, lift, mix, and roll as they work towards the grand reveal: an adventure playground! For little crew members who specialize in building towers and houses, this book offers a new direction for construction play and projects.(Ages 0 – 3)

All is peaceful while Ruby builds with her red blocks and Benji builds with his blue ones. As is apt to happen, though, one toddler swipes a block from the other and a territorial, tower-crashing argument ensues. For any child in the throes of possessiveness, this story gently shows how building with a friend can be even more fun.(Ages 2 – 4)

Leslie Patricelli knows that girls love to wear construction hats and transform piles of blocks into imaginative masterpieces just as much as boys do. She’s also spot-on with her portrayal of a Godzilla-like baby sibling approaching one such masterpiece. The story ends sweetly with the older sister initiating her younger sibling into the fun of building together.(Ages 2 – 5)

Endearing characters Gizmo, Sprinkles, and Wild love to build together, but their pal Rex just can’t stop himself from knocking down all their creations. The friends are impressively resilient and forgiving, though. They come up with a plan that suits everyone: to build an “awesomerific” creation and then “WRECK IT ALL TOGETHER!”(Ages 2 – 5)

Sally Sutton’s entire series of construction-themed rhyming romps is destined for classic read-aloud status, but this installment is particularly inspiring for young builders. From cutting planks to building a frame to adding a roof, windows, plumbing, and electrical wires, this step-by-step look at how a library is built models the sequential nature of construction and suggests new elements for children to include in their own building endeavors.(Ages 2 – 5)

Gus’s garage might be considered a junkyard, but he uses his “bits and bobs” to help his friends with their design challenges. When Rico the Rhino can barely fit on his scooter seat, Gus attaches an armchair. When Gina Giraffe’s neck is cold sticking out of her convertible, Gus builds a custom-shaped heater. Leo Timmer’s zany illustrations are a treat to pore over.(Ages 2 – 5)

This collection of poems honoring simple pastimes — from stacking cups to creating sandcastles, igloos, and pillow forts — is a feast of building ideas. Each spread shows diverse children engaged in a project alongside a related notable building. Back matter identifies the buildings and the architects who designed them, providing plenty of real-world inspiration.(Ages 3 – 8)

When small and simple structures prove inadequate to house them, two pigs, a bear, and a moose envision a house grand enough for them to all live together. With the help of an industrious beaver team, they turn their dream into reality. This story is perfect for encouraging children to design structures to accommodate all their favorite figurines or stuffed animals.(Ages 3 – 8)